The Secret

The Secret
Average customer rating:

The Law of Attraction is a Tricky Thing

Shrug

It's NO Secret

Awesome book

OK READ

The Secret

Manufacturer: Atria Books/Beyond Words
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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The Secret (Extended Edition)

You: On A Diet: The Owner's Manual for Waist Management

The Science of Success: How to Attract Prosperity and Create Harmonic Wealth Through Proven Principles

Law of Attraction: The Science of Attracting More of What You Want and Less of What You Don't

The Law of Attraction: The Basics of the Teachings of Abraham

ASIN: 1582701709

Book Description

Fragments of a Great Secret have been found in the oral traditions, in literature, in religions and philosophies throughout the centuries. For the first time, all the pieces of The Secret come together in an incredible revelation that will be life-transforming for all who experience it.

In this book, you'll learn how to use The Secret in every aspect of your life -- money, health, relationships, happiness, and in every interaction you have in the world. You'll begin to understand the hidden, untapped power that's within you, and this revelation can bring joy to every aspect of your life.

The Secret contains wisdom from modern-day teachers -- men and women who have used it to achieve health, wealth, and happiness. By applying the knowledge of The Secret, they bring to light compelling stories of eradicating disease, acquiring massive wealth, overcoming obstacles, and achieving what many would regard as impossible.

Customer Reviews:

The Law of Attraction is a Tricky Thing.......2007-10-09

I was given this book as a gift by a very spiritual friend with wonderful intentions of giving me tools to recover from a difficult year. This was the hardcover version. I liked the size and format of this book.

My first red flag was the alleged expertise of the experts quoted throughout the book. I like a lot of opinions from a lot of different places, but these expert opinion-givers used professional titles like: Personal Transformation Specialist, Visionary, Trainer in the Field of Mind Potential, Law of Attraction Specialist, Personal Empowerment Advocate, and Transformation Leader. It was as if all of these people were playing make-believe.

I wanted to know what their real credentials were. Were they trained in the scientific method? I got my answer when I read quotes like, "...it has been scientifically proven that an affirmative thought is hundreds of times more powerful than a negative thought." There seemed to be no real experts involved in the writing of this book.

The basic premise of The Secret is making the Law of Attraction work for you. We do this by being clear on what we want, thinking and acting like we already have it, and being grateful for receiving it, even before we have actually received it.

But the Law of Attraction is a tricky thing. Like attracts like, except that the Law of Attraction doesn't compute words of negation. We're told that saying, "Don't speak to me like that," actually means, "Speak to me like that."

We are also told that, "Nothing can come into [our] experience unless [we] summon it with negative thoughts." For example, we're told that food cannot cause us to put on weight unless we think it can. Anything negative that happens we have summoned ourselves through negative thinking.

I found this idea troubling when applied to things like miscarriage, child abuse or childhood cancers. Troubling because this theory says those babies asked for everything they got. And what about 9-11 and Katrina? Yup, she actually covers this and guess what. We asked for it. I guess that even with positive thoughts being 100 times more powerful than the negative ones, the negative stuff just keeps on happening.

Being a good sport, I selected 4 reasonable things that I wanted in my life. I clarified my needs, wrote them down, acted as though I actually had these things and went about being grateful. I focused and paid attention for negative thoughts or anything that might sabotage my success. At the end of one month I did not have a single one of these four things. What I DID have was a family that thought I was nuts for acting and talking as if these things were real.

I am quite interested in the new field of Positive Psychology and Authentic Happiness. I also believe there is power in positive thinking and gratitude, two pillars of The Secret. She just takes it way, way, way too far. If you are interested in positive psychology, pick up something by Martin Seligman, a real psychologist and perhaps a visionary as well, but skip this one.

Shrug.......2007-10-08

Frankly, I expected something more astonishing, considering the excitement this book generated. Like attracts like. The Druids knew this; Wicca and the earth-based, Celtic forms of Paganism have never forgotten it. Hardly a "Secret".

It's NO Secret.......2007-10-08

This book is AMAZING! Brings you back to the true meaning of life and being on this earth. Back to a time when thoughts were pure and untarnished by hardened life experiences that jade us in the wrong direction. I recommend this book for EVERYONE who is looking for inner peace and happiness. It truely works if you work it!

Awesome book.......2007-10-08

This book was an amazing read. I recommend that anyone who likes reading should read it. Most of the words were small to medium size. Also, there were some numbers.

OK READ.......2007-10-07

This book is ok.
If its motivation and common sense that you looking to be reminded of then you will enjoy this book it will definetely motivate you.

Law of Attraction: The Science of Attracting More of What You Want and Less of What You Don't

Average customer rating:

Synchronicity at Play
Abundance is mine!
the book was as described by the seller
LoA - A Basic Understanding for Beginners
Dragged down...

Law of Attraction: The Science of Attracting More of What You Want and Less of What You Don't
Michael Losier
Manufacturer: Michael J. Losier
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Similar Items:

The Secret
The Secret (Extended Edition)
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The Law of Attraction: The Basics of the Teachings of Abraham
The Attractor Factor: 5 Easy Steps for Creating Wealth (or Anything Else) from the Inside Out

ASIN: 0973224002

Book Description

You may not be aware of it, but a very powerful force is at work in your life.

It's called the Law of Attraction and right now it is attracting people, jobs, situations and relationships in your life - not all of them good!

If your life feels as if it has turned south and taken on the characteristics of a bad soap opera, it's time to pick up this book.

Customer Reviews:

Synchronicity at Play.......2007-10-08

"Law of Attraction: The Science of Attracting More of What You Want & Less of What You Don't" by Michael J. Losier is a fascinating book that demonstrates how SYNCHRONICITY is evidence of the law of attraction. The Law of Attraction responds to your vibration. Your vibration is your feelings, so therefore be joyful, optimistic, compassionate, and content. This facilitates life transformation by means of the power of the law of attraction.

The Law of Attraction explains how it is important for us to discern what our ideal financial situation is, to compose desire statements, overcome negative vibrations, and bring the law of attraction alive by means of creating a vibrational bubble as well as allowing statements.

The Law of Attraction is a most recommended book since it is easy to understand, provides an inspirational process, and an increased understanding of why you don't have what you want yet in order to transform your life.

Two of the most powerful transformational books that I also recommend are;

The Secret

Nexus: A Neo Novel

Abundance is mine!.......2007-10-06

I LOVE this book. I watched The Secret and flipped through book... BUT nothing beats the Law of Attraction book. Fast and easy read, plain english, makes sense, well written. BEST OF ALL: are the worksheets that he provides a link to for you to print out. PRINT OUT THE WORKSHEETS AND THE MAGIC COMES ALIVE!!! I have printed out all the worksheets and fill out the abundance worksheet every night. I've been attracting what I want ever since. Buy this book and DO the worksheets. Best book I've bought in years... money spent has come back to me ten-fold+!

the book was as described by the seller.......2007-10-03

I am very satisfied with this transaction. The book was as described and expected. Thanks

LoA - A Basic Understanding for Beginners.......2007-10-02

I enjoyed this book very much. If you are new to the Law of Attraction it is a great place to start. Especially if you want to teach it to children, the final chapter has some great ideas for sharing the LoA with children in an easy to understand manner. If you are already familiar with "The Secret" you probably won't learn anything new in this book. It is very basic.

Dragged down..........2007-09-28

I still can't believe that you dragged me all the way down there to give me that XXXXXXX! Of all the things that you could have done that was indeed the STUPIDEST thing! STUPID STUPID STUPID STUPID STUPID...

The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians (20 Volume Set

Average customer rating:

Nothing better...period
Don't believe that you are getting 20 books.
dumbed down
The definitive dictionary of music and musicians
The standard reference - deservedly

The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians (20 Volume Set
George Grove , and Stanle Sadie
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
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The Harvard Dictionary of Music: Fourth Edition (Harvard University Press Reference Library)

ASIN: 1561591742

Amazon.com

This is the big one -- 20 thick volumes packed full of information on musical history, composers, artists and more. It carries a big price tag, but it's an invaluable aid for the serious student or writer. Grove has several other dictionaries, opera and jazz among them, but if you can only handle one, this is the one to get. This text refers to the 20 Volume edition of this title.

Book Description

Now available in a deluxe paperback edition, The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians is the world's greatest music encyclopedia. This unique 20-volume set is packed with over 18,000 pages of information on the history and development of music, instruments, musical forms and terms, musical cities and institutions, and, above all, thousands of eminent composers and performers. The text is fully illustrated with photographs, drawings and musical examples, and all major articles include extensive bibliographies. Entries on composers are accompanied by detailed lists of compositions, which, for example, list the precise instrumentation required for many compositions. These acclaimed worklists alone are a valuable resource for today's musician. The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians includes: BL Ancient, Medieval, and Renaissance music--insights on composers as well as new appraisals of theorists, philosophers, and chroniclers. It explores early musical rites, forms, styles and genres, and the social and historical forces that shaped the music of these eras BL Composers--the first aim of Music and Musicians is to tell you virtually everything you will want to know about the people who have been writing music, from ancient times onwards BL Ethnomusicology--discover Polynesian chants, Uzbek teahouse ensembles, Xhosa wedding songs, cowboy laments, modern protest songs, and other manifestations of non-western and folk music BL Forms and genres--harmony, counterpoint, rhythm and melody--the basic materials of music. Symphony, opera, cantata, concerto, motet, oratorio and sonata--these and other genres are surveyed historically and their repertoires outlined BL Performers--Music and Musicians covers influential figures from the world of popular music, jazz and opera; it explores the lives of patrons and poets, novelists and scientists, dancers and instrument makers, everyone whose work influences music BL Places and institutions--travel from London to Vienna, Dresden to Osaka, Paris to Pittsburgh. Explore top musical arenas such as Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and Covent Garden

Customer Reviews:

Nothing better...period.......2006-04-04

Despite the fact many have tried to "pretend" there are other dictionarys/encyclopedias that are better than The Groves, there simply are not. Sure, The Groves is not cheap, however, if you are looking for a quality work, it will never be cheap. So, whether you are a person with degrees in Music History, or someone who just wants to have information readily available on music/musicians, this is the only way to go.

Don't believe that you are getting 20 books........2004-02-29

Although the announcement makes you think that maybe yo will be getting 20 books for a song, you will be singing a different tune when it arrives. You will get one (yes, 1) volume selected apparently at random. I got volume 13.

dumbed down.......2002-05-02

Four stars for what has been carried over from the 1980 version, zero stars for what has been appended to it. We can't entirely blame the dictionary for the poor quality of most of these additions. The dictionary depends on a large pool of contributors, most of whom hold academic positions, and our academies are beset with insufficiently acknowledged problems.

One problem is the graduate-school analogue of what in secondary schools has been called "grade inflation". We might call it "degree inflation". Unqualified candidates are routinely pushed through graduate school; mediocre minds are awarded doctorates and assume faculty positions. This is partly the result of a misguided egalitarianism and partly the result of a quid-pro-quo cronyism. In any case, it is self-perpetuating and self-proliferating. It manifests itself here most obviously in rambling pseudo-intellectual essays on such empty buzzwords as "postmodernism".

Another problem is commercialization. It manifests itself here most obviously in vacuous and clumsily written (and randomly strewn with rock journalism cliches) extended accounts of various pop music figures, such as, for example, Bob Dylan and David Bowie. (Both Bob Dylan and David Bowie have composed interesting song lyrics and are worthy subjects for popular culture historians, but neither have any particular MUSICAL significance.)

The definitive dictionary of music and musicians.......1999-09-13

One could never hope for a 'compleat' dictionary of music and musicians any more than one could hope for hope for a 'compleat'library of knowledge in one publication. But, just as the Encycopeadia Britannica has come to be seen the most comprehensive summary available of knowledge generally, so has Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians come to be seen as the ultimate summary of information available about music and musicians.

The question now is: when will 'Grove' follow the Encyclopaedia Britannica and reach out to a wider audience via CD-ROM and Internet on-line services? For this reviewer: the sooner the better

Ian Bowie

The standard reference - deservedly.......1998-09-27

Discursive and authoritative, the one failing is the lack of convenient text search. When available on CD-ROM with that capability, it will be an ideal reference.

StrengthsFinder 2.0: A New and Upgraded Edition of the Online Test from Gallup's Now, Discover Your Strengths

Average customer rating:

Useful insights but annoying you can't buy the tests only
Dinamic Strengths
Find and Maximize your strengths...fast
StrengthsFinder Opinion
Optimal Solution for Understanding Yourself

StrengthsFinder 2.0: A New and Upgraded Edition of the Online Test from Gallup's Now, Discover Your Strengths
Tom Rath
Manufacturer: Gallup Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Motivation & Self-Improvement | Business Life | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

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Go Put Your Strengths to Work: 6 Powerful Steps to Achieve Outstanding Performance
Now, Discover Your Strengths
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ASIN: 159562015X

Book Description

DO YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO WHAT YOU DO BEST EVERY DAY?

Chances are, you don't. All too often, our natural talents go untapped. From the cradle to the cubicle, we devote more time to fixing our shortcomings than to developing our strengths.

To help people uncover their talents, Gallup introduced the first version of its online assessment, StrengthsFinder, in the 2001 management book Now, Discover Your Strengths. The book spent more than five years on the bestseller lists and ignited a global conversation, while StrengthsFinder helped millions to discover their top five talents.

In its latest national bestseller, StrengthsFinder 2.0, Gallup unveils the new and improved version of its popular assessment, language of 34 themes, and much more (see below for details). While you can read this book in one sitting, you'll use it as a reference for decades.

Loaded with hundreds of strategies for applying your strengths, this new book and accompanying website will change the way you look at yourself -- and the world around you -- forever.

AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY IN THE NEW & UPGRADED EDITION OF STRENGTHSFINDER 2.0
(using the unique access code included with each book)

* A new and upgraded edition of the StrengthsFinder assessment

* A personalized Strengths Discovery and Action-Planning Guide for applying your strengths in the next week, month, and year

* A more customized version of your top five theme report

* 50 Ideas for Action (10 strategies for building on each of your top five themes)

* The more user-friendly StrengthsFinder 2.0 companion website, with a strengths community area, library of downloadable discussion guides and activities, a strengths screensaver, and a program for creating display cards of your top five themes

Customer Reviews:

Useful insights but annoying you can't buy the tests only.......2007-10-09

Whilst the questionnaire can provide you useful insights on what you do best, it is annoying that you have to buy the book to get the code for the on-line tests. There is little extra information in the book that doesn't come with the test results so they've missed a good opportunity to add value. A better approach would be to allow you to buy the tests on line and say get the book at a discount. Only having one shot at the test is also frustrating as I'd like to have another go or two but don't want to stump up the money for more books. If you're happy to pay for the book to do the test then you'll probably get some useful information to help with career planning and personal development.

Dinamic Strengths.......2007-10-01

I found the Strengths Finder 2 to be a great, dinamic tool to helping my team find their talents. The good thing about this version, compared to Now Discover your Strengths is that it has guidelines and activities you can do to change the talents into strengths.

Find and Maximize your strengths...fast.......2007-09-24

Great product for anyone wanting to know themselves better. Especially helpful for job seekers or people in transition.

StrengthsFinder Opinion.......2007-09-23

This is great investment! The price is very low and value of the information provided is very high. The best $15 I ever spent.

Optimal Solution for Understanding Yourself.......2007-09-23

I've been a senior leader of several organizations, and consequently have been exposed to a gauntlet of industrial psychologists, personality tests, intelligence tests, leadership training, cultural orientations, yada yada.

This book/body of knowledge/tool does 2 things extremely well. By well, I mean in an optimal way measured by the degree of understanding relative to the time investment. First, for an investment of maybe an hour at minimum, and an additional few hours to explore the guidance and begin to consider the implications and choose new behaviors, etc. you get, in my opinion, the best single, and correct perspective about yourself than any combination of the other methods mentioned above, period. It is not just directionally correct, like a horoscope type paragraph that would be true for anyone who read it, but rather a set of desciptions of your strengths that just "nail it" and descibe you as you know yourself. It tells you about yourself in a way that you can understand, regardless of whether you or anyone who is around you has ever articulated it.

The second thing it does well is offer a rational and empirically validated framework that is just long overdue. It is a simple truth that has been so elusive. It addresses a major reason why leadership is so rare in business - the modern organization strangles out your ability to contribute by trying to fix what you will likely never be much good at, or hate doing even if you end up with some level of proficiency at it.

Get it, read it (25 minutes) and take the online test (35 minutes). If you are like me and the 50 people around me who've infectiosuly taken and immediately recommended this thing to their inner circle of friends and family, you will absolutley find value in it. But like anything, an idea or a tool is only as good as it is put to use. A master craftsman never blames his tools. Remember to act on it and that is something for which only you can be responsible.

Spiritual Connections: How to Find Spirituality Throughout All the Relationships in Your Life

Average customer rating:

It was just okay.
I dont love this one as much as her other books
Enlightening Book on Spiritual Relationships
No one knows more about yourself than you do
Utterly !

Spiritual Connections: How to Find Spirituality Throughout All the Relationships in Your Life
Sylvia Browne
Manufacturer: Hay House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Interpersonal Relations | Relationships | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1401908810
Release Date: 2007-03-27

Book Description

Have you ever wondered why some relationships are wonderful and others are just catastrophic and tragic? Why do we get along with some people and with others just seem to constantly engage in bitter fighting? In this fascinating and helpful book, internationally renowned psychic Sylvia Browne examines why we form our relationships with certain individuals . . . for better or for worse. From the lifelong connection of a loving marriage to the short and bitter agony of a brief encounter leading to divorce and heartache, she reveals why we have joyful and happy relationships on the one hand and chaotic, hateful and painful ones on the other.
Sylvia takes us on a remarkable excursion that covers all the different types of relationships we’ll encounter in life. From our childhood experiences to our golden years, she helps us see why we form both good and bad unions, and she also explores how our themes and charts of life can interact with others in both positive and negative waysâcreating either lifelong love or friendship or a situation doomed for disaster. Sylvia enables us to come to a true understanding of why we have certain compulsions and attractions for some people while being totally repulsed by others. By utilizing Sylvia’s marvelous insights, we can all learn how to cultivate our relationships (and sift the wheat from the chaff) in order to live a happier and more fulfilling life.

Customer Reviews:

It was just okay........2007-10-04

Sylvia's books these days seem to be more full of, "fluff," than anything else. There is no more original content. This book seems to be more of her ramblings about the people she knows or meets in her life. There is of course a purpose and you need to read through all the, "fluff," to get to the point. I guess if she just flat out told you the point there would be 200 blank pages to fill.

I dont love this one as much as her other books.......2007-10-03

While I always get a good feeling of having learned something after reading her books, this one left me hanging. I was waiting for more.

Enlightening Book on Spiritual Relationships.......2007-09-05

As Sylvia Browne asserts many books have been written on having a better sex life, staying married or how to have a friendly divorce. This is one of the few books available on spiritual meaning of relationships in our lives.

Sylvia shows how to bring spiritual understanding to our relationships - that our relationships have a deeper meaning. The people in our life have been selected by our soul before our birth for our spiritual development. So each person in our life teaches us something and we in turn teach them something. Even people we meet casually such as the grocery store clerk, bank teller or the person delivering our mail all are part of spiritual connections in our lives.

Connection with family and close friends is often taken for granted but these relationships are particularly conducive for our growth. Browne even contends that the annoying co-worker or boss can teach us important lessons for our soul growth. The best part of the book is the exploration of the 47 life themes, which have a higher and lower expression.

The book has a warm tone because Sylvia shares her own relationship challenges. This book is worth reading just for the Life Themes and fans of Sylvia Browne will be most satisfied with this book, since it gives a lot of depth to her ideas previously stated elsewhere.

(***If you're interested in other books about relationships check out "Sacred Contracts: Awakening Your Divine Potential" by Caroline Myss or "Nexus: A Neo Novel" by Deborah Morrison and Arvind Singh***)

No one knows more about yourself than you do.......2007-08-19

Who are these people giving this book 4 and 5 stars and do they really know about Sylvia Browne? Even the few bad reviews are from fans who claim to "love" her and sound rather apologetic for giving her anything but the highest praise. What's going on? Someone please tell me, did I just enter the Twilight Zone...?

I have always been fascinated with Sylvia Browne because she is probably the most famous psychic of any first-world country. So, I decided to read this book with an open mind. But I wasn't at all happy with it. It seems shoddy, choppy and thrown together quickly. And Sylvia doesn't offer up anything (in the way of literary references) to back up her claims. I suppose some could say that this is based on "blind faith." But should faith also be deaf, dumb and stupid?

For years, I have watched Sylvia on the Montel Show and she always arrogantly seems so cocky when she doles out her "readings." For example, someone could tell her that such and such happened to them and Sylvia will quickly reply, "oh I know" as if she really does know. But if she knew, why didn't she volunteer this info up front, first? I have also noticed that she almost always exclusively only gives detailed info about past lives, the "after world," and other deceased "spirits." But Sylvia Browne is never overly explicit or detailed when she is talking about the here and now. Why is that? Also, one more thing I have noticed about Sylvia; she always seems incredibly cold, condescending, downright rude, pushy, bored, and incredibly belittling when she gives her "readings." Shouldn't a spiritual advisor be welcoming, loving, warm and inviting? Has Sylvia ever comforted any of the grieving parents on Montel or has she ever given any of them a gratis reading after the show when the cameras weren't rolling? No she has not. That is a fact. I can remember a lady once kept pressing her with specific questions on the show, and Sylvia became very aggravated and said something to the effect of, "this is what I 'see' and that's that." Talk about being a wolf in wolf's clothing. Maybe that's better because she would be easier to spot? You'd think so, but people still adore her and worship her and follow her advice to the letter.

When is the last time a corporation also referred to their organization as a church? Sylvia Browne does it. But her "corporation" and "church" are more like a cult because it's all about money and profit; not about adding some happiness and spirituality into someone's life (free of charge.) And if in fact she is a leader of a church, why should she charge her parishioners that want to seek her out for advice? At best, this is an oxymoron: Sylvia Browne Corp./Church. Does Sylvia Browne/the Sylvia Browne Corp. pay taxes? Or is she tax-exempt? This is a very valid question.

I decided to do a little research after reading "Spiritual Connections" by Sylvia because I wanted to see if she really was all she was cracked up to be; after all, maybe I am just being super-critical and Sylvia is honest and totally caring and loving? I began my search on Wikipedia.

From there, I found an incredibly informative site, StopSylviaBrowne. I spent more than 3 straight hours on that site reading everything I could about Sylvia. I have never seen a site so professionally laid out that included facts to back up everything the Webmaster stated. Everything that I initially felt about Sylvia was confirmed (and more.) I have since learned that Sylvia Browne is a convicted felon that preys on vulnerable people because these are the ones that are most likely to pay exorbitant moneys for "help", buy her books, go to her events and recommend her. I have also found out that her first husband has totally discredited her and her son (who also claims to be a psychic.) And, I have found out that Sylvia was caught in numerous half-truths, made-up stories and downright lies. The most notable being her higher-education; she has stated that she has a Masters Degree in English. There is zero proof that Sylvia has a Masters Degree in English from any accredited institution.

If you simply think that Sylvia is total entertainment and you watch her on TV or read her books once in a while then that's fine in and of it self. I suppose there's no harm in that. But if you're about to shell out the hundreds of dollars for one of her "telephone readings" or the thousands of dollars for one of her "in-person meetings" then I strongly recommend that you do some research on her first because I don't want you to be taken advantage of. One more thing that Sylvia's followers should keep in mind is that no one knows more about yourself than you do!

Utterly !.......2007-08-09

After reading "Spiritual Connections," I was totally and utterly amazed by Sylvia's profound spiritual insights and fascinating perspectives (especially through her invisible spirit guide Francine, who seems to have come into Sylvia's life in three or five contradictory ways, depending on which Browne tome you read). Her astounding proven accuracy as a psychic, totally verifiable, has convinced me that Sylvia's the real deal, a veritable Goddess on Earth with disturbingly long talons, and she's well worth the mad money she charges for her phone consults! Forget your so-called hifalutin' "science," forget those overeducated quacks with PhDs and researchers with their fancy protocols and let Sylvia be your guide. Humans just want proof, proof, proof. Surrender your power to her, open heart and wallet. No less an authority on psychic matters than Montel endorses her, as do her true believers, so she must be the real deal. By all means, buy this book NOW! Buy a spare, just in case! Get an extra for a friend!

This Moment on Earth: Today's New Environmentalists and Their Vision for the Future

Average customer rating:

May A Republican Say Something?
Required Reading
Stories of Hope
KERRY gETS IT RIGHT
Encouragement for activism

This Moment on Earth: Today's New Environmentalists and Their Vision for the Future
John Kerry , and Teresa Heinz Kerry
Manufacturer: PublicAffairs
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

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Book Description

An inspiring celebration of courageous American innovators who are transforming the way we protect and care for the world we live in.

The environment, and the movement that grew up to protect it, is under attack--concerted and purposeful. Yet the need for solutions to pressing environmental problems grows more urgent each day. Teresa Heinz Kerry and Senator John Kerry traveled across the country in a national campaign to see at first hand how these issues unite people across party and ideological lines. From the San Juan Basin to the Gulf of Mexico to the South Bronx, from mothers on Cape Cod to Colorado ranchers, they found a vibrant coalition of people and communities deploying ingenuity, technology, and sheer will power to save the world they know and love. Now, in this passionate and personal book, Senator John Kerry and Teresa Heinz Kerry shine the spotlight on an inspiring crosssection of these new environmental pioneers.

The book combines intensive research with keenly observed personal experiences to present a portrait of Americans devoted to the natural diversity and spectacular uniqueness of our country. It also includes an extensive guide on where and how readers can get involved.

Customer Reviews:

May A Republican Say Something?.......2007-10-06

Senator Kerry, this is one of the best books I've read in a long time, and I read a lot of books. The common sense, lack of passion, and optimism did my old heart good. Since I'm not as optimistic as you, I believe if we're to come out of this tailspin that my party has put us in, your approach, not mine, is the key. As a Vietnam veteran who was shot down twice in Vietnam 1968-69, I hope you understand that the Swift Boat guys were exploited by sociopaths. The weak minded simply cannot refuse even the briefest moment in the limelight. They well forsake God and country without hesitation. Supporting you in 2004 has turned out to be one of the smartest things I have ever done. Believe me, it wasn't easy. It temporarily cost me the goodwill of friends and family. Thousands of Americans are still cheering Bush and Cheney not even aware that all their savings may be wiped out before these two leave office. Saudi Arabia on this very day--10/06/2007--has refused to cut interest rates in lockstep with the US Federal Reserve for the first time, signaling that the oil-rich Gulf kingdom is preparing to break the dollar currency peg in a move that risks setting off a stampede out of the dollar across the Middle East. As you know, Israel has already refused aid (free money) in Dollars. When Americans turned their backs on International laws, they turned their backs on God's laws as well. The price for doing so will be incomprehensible for most. Another book, please.

Required Reading.......2007-08-08

The material in this book should be put in the public's face daily via media, billboards, etc. It should be required reading. Every mother should understand that a disposable diaper takes 500 years to biodegrade (and as those chemicals in the diaper biodegrade, they pollute and cause potential carcinogens).

I would not call the book "bipartisan" as per some of the other reviews, and I think its bashing of the Bush administration (even though I am not a fan) detracted from the overall book. However, it is important reading; it had an impact on my behavior.

Stories of Hope.......2007-08-02

I was a little skeptical with this book being written by John Kerry. I wasn't sure what to expect. It gives some really good stories of everyday people who just wanted to make a change for the better. They weren't any sort of extremists or hippies. Just people with common sense and the determination to stand up for their right to live in a clean world.

KERRY gETS IT RIGHT.......2007-06-18

Kerry analyzes today;s environmental experts and gets it right. The book is passionate, well researched, spot on and well written. I was pleasantly surprised.

I think Kerry was at his best early in the book when he evaluated some of the current plans for saving the Earth. He got a little off track as the book progressed, then veered back on track in the last 100 pages.

I highly recommend this book for anybody who cares about the planet. Also recommended: "Earth In The Balance" by Al Gore. Earth in the Balance: Ecology and the Human Spirit

Encouragement for activism.......2007-06-09

This book is both inspiring and upsetting. Inspiring for the stories of success in opposing pollution and degradation of the environment and restoration to a more healthy one. It is upsetting to read of the abuses and pollution creating dangerous places to live.

It is a call to action that we all need to consider. I got many good ideas about issues I hadn't thought about and it made me think about my local situation. It's good to know people have won battles and corrected abuses.

The First 90 Days: Critical Success Strategies for New Leaders at All Levels

Average customer rating:

Good way to get prepared
Practical and Actionable. It is an excellent book on the subject of management transitions.
*****First 90 Days
A Must Read
Some great tips, but often not well developed or organized

The First 90 Days: Critical Success Strategies for New Leaders at All Levels
Michael Watkins
Manufacturer: Harvard Business School Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Right From The Start: Taking Charge In A New Leadership Role

ASIN: 1591391105

Book Description

Whether challenged with taking on a startup, turning a business around, or inheriting a high-performing unit, a new leader's success or failure is determined within the first 90 days on the job.

In this hands-on guide, Michael Watkins, a noted expert on leadership transitions, offers proven strategies for moving successfully into a new role at any point in one's career. The First 90 Days provides a framework for transition acceleration that will help leaders diagnose their situations, craft winning transition strategies, and take charge quickly.

Practical examples illustrate how to learn about new organizations, build teams, create coalitions, secure early wins, and lay the foundation for longer-term success. In addition, Watkins provides strategies for avoiding the most common pitfalls new leaders encounter, and shows how individuals can protect themselves-emotionally as well as professionally-during what is often an intense and vulnerable period.

Concise and actionable, this is the survival guide no new leader should be without.

"Few companies develop a systematic 'on-boarding' process for their new leaders, even though this is a critical function with major organizational implications. Michael Watkins's The First 90 Days provides a powerful framework and strategies that will enable new leaders to take charge quickly. It is an invaluable tool for that most vulnerable time-the transition."

-Goli Darabi, Senior Vice President, Corporate Leadership & Succession Management, Fidelity Investments

"Every job-private- or public-sector, civilian or military-has its breakeven point, and everyone can accelerate their learning. Read this book at least twice: once before your next transition-before getting caught up in the whirl and blur of new faces, names, acronyms, and issues; then read it again after you've settled in, and consider how to accelerate transitions for your next new boss and for those who come to work for you."

-Colonel Eli Alford, U.S. Army

"Watkins provides an excellent road map, telling us what all new leaders need to know and do to accelerate their learning and success in a new role. The First 90 Days should be incorporated into every company's leadership development strategy, so that anyone making a transition in an organization can get up to speed quicker and smarter."

-Suzanne M. Danielle, Director of Global Leadership Development, Aventis

"Michael Watkins has nailed a huge corporate problem and provided the solution in one fell swoop. The pressure on new leaders to hit the ground running has never been greater, and the likelihood and cost of failure is escalating. Watkins's timing with The First 90 Days is impeccable."

-Gordon Curtis, Principal, Curtis Consulting

"The First 90 Days is a must-read for entrepreneurs. Anyone who's been the CEO of a start-up or early-stage company knows that you go through many 90-day leadership transitions in the course of a company's formative years. In this groundbreaking book, Michael Watkins provides crucial insights, as well as a toolkit of techniques, to enable you to accelerate through these transitions successfully."

-Mike Kinkead, President and CEO, timeBLASTER Corporation, serial entrepreneur, and Cofounder and Trustee, Massachusetts Software Council

Customer Reviews:

Good way to get prepared.......2007-07-04

It just makes sense, and is very thorough. Many things I would not have thought about, or gotten around to thinking about - we live in such a fast paced world that it would have been a challenge to do. Luckily, I had a cross country trip, so this gave me the time to read this book and compile my "list" of notes and apply them to my upcoming job change. Bottom line - many good new perspectives that I simply would not have thought of. Highly recommended.

Practical and Actionable. It is an excellent book on the subject of management transitions........2007-06-22

As a human resources professional, I have seen a great deal of management transition. Many succeed but some do not. Unfortunately for our people and our organizations those that do not leave a stream of damage in their wake.

Recently I wrote a review about Scott Eblin's, "The Next Level" and I called it a real disappointment. This book is not and it is a far more actionable and practical approach to managing transitions.

One of the reasons this book is so practical is that each section not only provides you with clear direction but each section also ends with an action checklist. This make creating a 90-day transition plan doable and improves your prospects for success.

Lastly, the steps from this book create a framework that a company can use to create a "transition strategy" for all its new and upwardly moving managers. This alone will enable a firm to increase their odds that a new hire or promotion will be in the "win" column.

*****First 90 Days.......2007-06-10

I only ordered this for a superior and he is VERY VERY happy with the book...he asked for it by name so we ordered three copies! Thank you for the great service you provide.

A Must Read.......2007-05-30

Great book for all business leaders who are advancing to a new role or coming from the outside into an organization. Simple, easy to read with pertinent lessons for a successful transition.

Some great tips, but often not well developed or organized.......2007-05-28

We bought this book along with the "New Leader's 100-Day Action Plan" and read them side by side.

Pro:
-"STaRS" concept is excellent. Start-ups, Turnarounds, Realignments and Sustaining success are all different scenarios that you might be thrown into, and the environment you join directly affects what you need to do.
-Checklists are helpful, when available, to boil thoughts down to the most essential elements
-There are many good tips interspersed throughout the book that are good reminders of the basics you need to adhere to in order to be successful
-Breaks the "sink or swim mindset" often associated with starting a new position

Con:
-Does not really address the time opportunity BEFORE you start a job and in my experience is a major lost opportunity that I've been able to surprise and delight. Set up pre-meetings, arranging for email/phone and a place to sit, etc. as a chance to listen and learn without the pressure to perform. Any items that can/should be done ahead of time appear to me as afterthoughts, underdeveloped, and often out of sequence in this text.
-Would not serve as a handy reference... better chapter summaries and a stronger introduction with time lines and meaty chapter outline would have been helpful both now and in the future
-I think that many good concepts like "STaRS" were underdeveloped or under leveraged... I sense more detail that was perhaps omitted
-To me, many of the illustrations were filler and did not offer additional information
-Sometimes poor or awkward word choice or idea sequence (e.g. rather than "Promote Yourself" why not just call it "Prepare Yourself" as this is what you are really saying, so why not just say it that way?)
-Real life examples were unnecessarily detailed, consuming time and space that I think could be better used by the author as he's clearly brilliant and has some great observations
-I think that the scope is too narrow, picks up after you've started the job (day 1) and neglects the opportunity (and chaos) beforehand of the interview, moving, doing "pre-work" to get your basics at work set-up

Bottom line: While there were some interesting moments, I was disappointed. The book does offer several cautionary tales of CEOs who crashed and burned, and if nothing else serves as both warning and motivation to be smarter about your transition.

The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom (A Toltec Wisdom Book)

Average customer rating:

A good foundation
PLEASE... Read the 1 star reviews BEFORE you buy this book!
Everyone on this Planet should read this book, it should be a teaching material in Schools
Critical information, so powerful it should be taught 7- 12 + college
Easy to read, let's see how easy in practise

The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom (A Toltec Wisdom Book)
Don Miguel Ruiz
Manufacturer: Amber-Allen Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Four Agreements Cards

ASIN: 1878424319

Amazon.com

Sit at the foot of a native elder and listen as great wisdom of days long past is passed down. In The Four Agreements shamanic teacher and healer Don Miguel Ruiz exposes self-limiting beliefs and presents a simple yet effective code of personal conduct learned from his Toltec ancestors. Full of grace and simple truth, this handsomely designed book makes a lovely gift for anyone making an elementary change in life, and it reads in a voice that you would expect from an indigenous shaman. The four agreements are these: Be impeccable with your word. Don't take anything personally. Don't make assumptions. Always do your best. It's the how and why one should do these things that make The Four Agreements worth reading and remembering. --P. Randall Cohan

Book Description

In The Four Agreements, don Miguel Ruiz reveals the source of self-limiting agreements that rob people of joy and create needless suffering. Based on ancient Toltec wisdom, the Four Agreements offer a powerful code of conduct that can rapidly transform anyone's life to a new experience of freedom, true happiness, and love. These agreements are deceptively simple: Be impeccable with your word (speak with integrity; say only what you mean); Don't take anything personally (nothing others do is because of you); Don't make assumptions (find the courage to ask questions and express what you really want); Always do your best (and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse, and regret). Peter Coyote's resonant reading emphasizes the power in these remarkable tenets.

Customer Reviews:

A good foundation.......2007-10-01

This is a compelling book that provides a straightforward, easy-to-understand methodology for improving one's quality of life. In this work Ruiz first reveals the source of self-limiting beliefs that tend to rob people of joy and create needless suffering. He then recommends a technique for overcoming these beliefs: adopt four new agreements with respect to how they approach the world and conduct their lives.

Is this some new, revolutionary technology for self-improvement? No, the fact is in one way shape or form we've all heard these types of admonitions from other sources in our lives. What Ruiz does well is package them in a novel way and provide practical insights into how we can best apply them. Bottom line, even if you've heard something like this before it never hurts to be reminded about good advice you've received in the past.

PLEASE... Read the 1 star reviews BEFORE you buy this book!.......2007-09-27

I am shocked at all the 5 stars and positive press this book has received. PLEASE, read a few of the 1 star reviews before you purchase this book. Quite often people who rate something with just 1 star are grumpy individuals who just want to argue... not this time. Many writers of the single star reviews are extremely well spoken, very well read and positive minded individuals. They are worth reading! (More so than this book.)

Everyone on this Planet should read this book, it should be a teaching material in Schools.......2007-09-25

The four agreements is not only a book, it is a lifestyle. Most of the wisdom in self helping books i have read thruout the years has mostly washed away, vanished in to the sea of mind few weeks later after i read them. This one is different. It has somekind of power. And it forces you to do the doings not just read about them.This one stayes with you cause you wan't to pick it up over and over again.

Critical information, so powerful it should be taught 7- 12 + college.......2007-09-24

I did not receive any critical information about my role in relationships from any source including school, religious education, parents, or advisor's.

The Four Agreements and the Mastery of Love has now provided this knowledge and it is and will always be a reference source for living the rest of my life

It is so ingrained and with me every day as I work to improve on my relationships with my family, friends, and business relationships. After you listen to the message of the Four Agreements, you will see the need for this information to be made available to your family and friends.

My wish is for this to be a part of the curriculum for the public school systems.

Cecil Sterne
Pawnee County, Oklahoma

Easy to read, let's see how easy in practise.......2007-09-18

I think we've all seen this stuff before in various incarnations (e.g. Bible - "Do unto others...") but it is a very easy read and the agreements are plain and unambiguous. They are not cluttered with ceremony but come down to principles of values and self context. And like alot of similar readings, the battle or challenge lies in the effort to achieve and not only the achievement itself. I like that it advocates largely a position or development of an inner strength that is personal. All too often, I have noticed some of these personal freedom type writings from authors who present their writings in a stadium type environment and whip the crowd up in a frenzy to create a mob frenzy that attempts to portray the message. That's clearly the domain of some charlatans that we've all seen. I'm looking forward to the challenge involved in implementing these agreements. It won't be easy but most thnigs worthwhile aren't so they say.

Blue Ocean Strategy: How to Create Uncontested Market Space and Make Competition Irrelevant

Average customer rating:

Question the status quo
Good Book
What is your greatest challenge?
Academics rarely demonstrate how to do it!
Blue Ocean Strategy

Blue Ocean Strategy: How to Create Uncontested Market Space and Make Competition Irrelevant
W. Chan Kim , and Renée Mauborgne
Manufacturer: Harvard Business School Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Strategy & Competition | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

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The Long Tail: Why the Future of Business is Selling Less of More
Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap... and Others Don't
The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference
The Innovator's Dilemma: The Revolutionary Book that Will Change the Way You Do Business (Collins Business Essentials)
Seeing What's Next: Using Theories of Innovation to Predict Industry Change

ASIN: 1591396190

Book Description

Winning by not competing: a fresh approach to strategy Since the dawn of the industrial age, companies have engaged in head-to-head competition in search of sustained, profitable growth. They have fought for competitive advantage, battled over market share, and struggled for differentiation. Yet these hallmarks of competitive strategy are not the way to create profitable growth in the future. In a book that challenges everything you thought you knew about the requirements for strategic success, W. Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne argue that cutthroat competition results in nothing but a bloody red ocean of rivals fighting over a shrinking profit pool. Based on a study of 150 strategic moves spanning more than a hundred years and thirty industries, the authors argue that lasting success comes not from battling competitors, but from creating “blue oceans”: untapped new market spaces ripe for growth. Such strategic moves—which the authors call “value innovation”—create powerful leaps in value that often render rivals obsolete for more than a decade. Blue Ocean Strategy presents a systematic approach to making the competition irrelevant and outlines principles and tools any company can use to create and capture blue oceans. A landmark work that upends traditional thinking about strategy, this book charts a bold new path to winning the future.

Customer Reviews:

Question the status quo.......2007-09-25

The book forced me to rethink the way I normally would look at business developments for my companies: either value based or feature based. The idea of a creating new space in a crowded market and making a leap in growth through the blue ocean strategy stirred up my thinking juices. Personally, I don't like how to books with "three simple steps" This book was great; a must read.

Good Book.......2007-09-24

1. This is NOT a marketing book
2. There is no such thing as a fail safe strategy
3. This is a tool and is only as good as the user
4. Applicable in different situations
5. Good companion to Competitive Strategy written in the 80's by Mike Porter which is THE industry book
6. The book is NOT a pioneer and is NOT proported to be. It is a study in those companies who seemed to have created new markets such as Cirque De Soleil. The authors did NOT set out to create a new "theory" and then retroactively "fit" companies but rather study an emerging pheonom. and try to locate patterns.

I think that pretty much covers all the gripes of the previous entries. I first came across this book in a competitive strategy class in a business organizational change degree. It is an excellent text and gives another viewpoint to the old study of competitive strategy. I have used the strategy canvas tool located in chapter two AS A TOOL to assist me in both departmental and industry situations to locate existing patterns of competition.

Worth the money.
But then, I am just a "mere" academic (albeit with many years of industry experience) so if you truly do not like the book I suggest returning it. :)

What is your greatest challenge?.......2007-09-13

The greatest struggle for most business people is to come up with a truly original and valuable idea. Close behind that is how to get employees to work together. This book makes me want to cry, because it actually, simply, lays out how to do both. Beautiful.

Academics rarely demonstrate how to do it!.......2007-09-11

I bought this book. Their identifications are valid enough. Great companies have always created uncontested market space while making their competitors irrelevant. This is not in dispute. However...

The authors Chan Kim & Renee Mauborgne are just mere academics. And what is annoying is that they haven't battle tested their Blue Ocean model from hard knocks in the trenches business wars to find out what works and what doesn't for themselves! Again, this is what I find annoying with academics. They say a lot but never prove it themselves! Remember Merton & Scholes and LTCM?

For an example...in the book, the authors have an interesting strategic canvass graph approach that supposes to prove how Blue Ocean events come about. That's fine, but how do you prove it? Moreover, the 'values' are different for each company, so there is nothing consistent to glean from this.

What I'd like to have seen is a Dash Board type matrix template that allows any company or budding entrepreneur to carry out Blue Ocean due diligence on any industry or market niches...proofing these Blue Ocean catchments from a zero learning curve application! The book does have important points but lacks the cutting edge tools to unify Blue Ocean diligence and proofs for any company!

Thus, what this book lacks is a more honed processing of enquiry from the authors. And I suspect this to be the case because like many academics they haven't proven the unifying dynamics that goes into capturing Blue Ocean strategies for themselves with businesses they have built through their own mindset!

Again, this book is a case of 'do what I say, because I don't have to prove what I say'.

There are great industry shapers out there who can shift and move whole industries and markets in their favour...but the authors of this book are not one of them.

However, there are great positives the authors have identified. The book contains a very interesting 'Strategic Grid' technique. From this simple grid technique any one can mentally survey how to change one's industry or market from a macro-vantage point. But shifting and moving your new found Blue Ocean grid at a tactical level to rule your competition making them irrelevant is another matter entirely. The chapters that explain this grid are worth the book, but don't expect any thing else.

What you really want is a knowledge base that allows you to dig out Blue Ocean criteria from a template of enquiring tools STACKED PROCESS BY PROCESS UNTIL YOU PROOF YOUR OWN BLUE OCEAN POWER. This book fails on this!

I would suggest that any one buying this book should read 'Blue Print to a Billion by David Thomson to understand how real Blue Ocean executions are carried out correctly. In addition, Chet Holmes' Ultimate Sales Machine' gets you to understand how to carry out big frame strategies at the tactical level.

Both these books will plug the holes lacking with Kim & Mauborgne's work.

Blue Ocean Strategy.......2007-09-10

I like the non text book clear presentation. You do not have to have an MBA to enjoy and learn from this book.

Lean Mean Thirteen (Stephanie Plum Novels)

Average customer rating:

Love Triangle is Getting Tired--Put it to rest
same ole story
A Winner for the Plum Series!
lean,mean 13
For Pete's sake

Lean Mean Thirteen (Stephanie Plum Novels)
Janet Evanovich
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Women Sleuths | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0312349491
Release Date: 2007-06-19

Book Description

New secrets, old flames, and hidden agendas are about to send bounty hunter Stephanie Plum on her most outrageous adventure yet! MISTAKE #1Dickie OrrStephanie was married to him for about fifteen minutes before she caught him cheating on her with her archnemesis, Joyce Barnhardt. Another fifteen minutes after that, Stephanie filed for divorce, hoping never to see either one of them again. MISTAKE #2Doing favors for super bounty hunter Carlos Manoso (aka Ranger) Ranger needs Stephanie to meet with Dickie and find out if he's doing something shady. Turns out, he is. Turns out, Dickie's also back to doing Joyce Barnhardt. And it turns out Ranger's favors always come with a price. . . .MISTAKE #3Going completely nutso while doing the favor for Ranger, and trying to apply bodily injury to Dickie in front of the entire officeNow Dickie has disappeared, and Stephanie is the natural suspect in his disappearance. Is Dickie dead? Can he be found? And can Stephanie Plum stay one step ahead in this new, dangerous game? Joe Morelli, the hottest cop in Trenton, New Jersey, is also keeping Stephanie on her toes---and he may know more than he's saying about many things in Stephanie's life. It's a cat-and-mouse game for Stephanie Plum wherein the ultimate prize might be her life.With Janet Evanovich's flair for hilarious situations, breathtaking action, and unforgettable characters, Lean Mean Thirteen shows why no one can beat Evanovich for blockbuster entertainment.

Customer Reviews:

Love Triangle is Getting Tired--Put it to rest.......2007-10-08

The love triangle aspect of these stories is getting tired in my opinion. The humor is not as sharp anymore and with 13 books already published, I begin to wonder how fresh and witty the characters can remain over time? I hate to say this, but I think it's time to put the Stephanie Plum series to rest. The author needs to move on and begin something new and different.

same ole story.......2007-10-07

I confess I have been a cupcake since book one. So as Janet has put Morelli on the back burner, domesticated him, emasculated him and increased Ranger's mystique, wealth etc. I have been very disappointed. This love triangle is boring plus dishonest. Stephanie was less of a s...(rhymes with "butt") in this one. But she professes love for Morelli while having an emotional and sometimes physical affair with Ranger. I have no respect for Stephanie plus she's incompetent. The jokes are old, the situations are old, the series is tired and needs to end. I've heard that Janet will end the series with two books: one for the cupcakes and one for the babes. I cannot imagine more of the same. Ugh. The first 6 books were the best.

A Winner for the Plum Series!.......2007-10-05

I thought that "Lean Mean Thirteen" by Janet Evanovich was just a super winner for the Plumb series. She is one of my favorite writers and she has never disappointed me. Yes, there were some weak stories in the series, but overall Janet has been a real consistent writer and this book for me is no exception. The characters come alive in this story and the invigorating Stephanie keeps giving me one stimulating action packed adventure that is mixed with humor and intrigue. There are numerous excellent reviews, so I won't go into anymore detail about the story except to tell you that Ranger and Joe made the cut. A great read for the series.

Looking for a stunning Women's Fiction then check out Gathering of Cans by Robert L. Saunders. Zoie Baker, 55 is the heroine, and she feels right down to her bones that can build a swimming pool for her town by gathering aluminum cans. On this quest she stumbles on unique, cans. i.e., Nehi, Mountain Dew, etc., that sends the reader on a wondrous journey into Zoie's life. The Gold Bud can travels back to 1944 during World War II and Zoie meets Nat at the USO club. Each can delivers a fascinating story and all the characters return for a triumphal ending. Believe me this author delivers a spellbinding story with his silky and smooth prose. A fantastic story, believe me you won't be disappointed! Bye.

lean,mean 13.......2007-10-03

Great book, as always. One of those you want to go on and on and never end.
I don't get tired of the Stephanie Plum books. I always look forward to lunch time so I can read more of the book.

For Pete's sake.......2007-10-01

Can we please stop the love triangle already? Even though Stephanie is less of a s___ (rhymes with "butt") in this one, it still is a bit too "romantic novel" to me.
I gave two stars (and would have given .5 more) for the introduction of the taxidermist.
What really chaps my hide is that she has made Morelli into a lapdog and I think she did it only so she could justify Stephanie's obsession with Ranger. I think Ms Evanovich should create a nice female character for Morelli that he can marry and boot Stephanie to the curb.
The plot was thin and the characters old and stale.
Although it was better than #12. I will give her that.
Ms Evanovich, I don't mind waiting awhile for a GOOD book if you need the time to write it.

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